Plays
Playwright Collection

Plays

Carla Navarro is a playwright whose narratives illuminate the human spirit with bold imagination and heartfelt resonance. Each play is an invitation to journey through powerful themes and unforgettable characters. Explore detailed descriptions, production highlights, and the creative vision behind each work.

Orange Tulips

Short, Drama
1 Woman, 1 Man
Total Cast: 2, Flexible Set
A chance encounter on Valentine’s Day outside an old train station in Spain brings together a confident young tour guide and an American architect she’s never met. As they engage in banter laced with humor and tension, long-buried secrets are uncovered, forcing them to confront an emotional past filled with love, loss, and unresolved guilt. In this poignant drama, two strangers discover they have more in common than they could have imagined, and must decide if they can move forward together or remain haunted by the ghosts of their shared history. A thoughtful exploration of family, forgiveness, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Production History:
Cats Can't Eat Yarn: The Plays of Carla Navarro. Riot Productions, San Diego, CA (March 2024)
Staged Reading:
Celebration of New Writers. Roustabouts Theatre Company, San Diego, CA (May 2024)

Always

Short, Drama
2 Women
Total Cast: 2, Flexible Set
At Tía Chela’s funeral, Jazmin unexpectedly expresses her apprehension about her wife Magda’s pregnancy, worried about how it might alter their relationship dynamics. Their intense conversation delves into the intricate challenges of marriage and impending motherhood, especially within a bi-racial, economically disparate lesbian partnership expecting their first child. Through their journey, these women illuminate the essence of love and closeness amidst life’s tumultuous moments.
Production History:
Cats Can't Eat Yarn: The Plays of Carla Navarro. Riot Productions San Diego, CA (March 2024)
Staged Reading:
Celebration of New Writers. Roustabouts Theatre Company, San Diego, CA (January 2023)
Lamoise New Works Festival. Moxie Theatre, San Diego, CA (February, 2025)

Lean on Me

Short, Drama
2 Women
Total Cast: 2, Flexible Set
When Claire learns about her mother Ruth’s signs of mental incapacity, she is forced to confront her feelings of inadequacy and the weight of making life-altering decisions. Lean On Me delves into the challenges of caregiving, the shifting dynamics of family roles, and the profound love that binds them, even as their world changes.
Production History:
Cats Can't Eat Yarn: The Plays of Carla Navarro. Riot Productions San Diego, CA (March 2024)
Staged Reading:
N/A